Market

This custom French Mediterranean-style estate built in 2010 offers prime high-end living—from the moment one enters the gates and is greeted by picturesque gardens and then passes through an impressive front entry and into a grand foyer boasting soaring ceilings.

The rest at this stunning showpiece situated on an extra-large, flat lot in one of Brentwood’s most coveted enclaves is simply the cherry on top.

“Brentwood Park is the most prestigious part of Brentwood and the Westside” ~Santiago Arana of The Agency

“who is listing the property for $18.98 million. It offers very large lots and incredible mature trees that give you the park feeling and therefore comes the name. This is very centralized and close to restaurants, grocery stores and the best schools on the Westside.”

Found at 321 S. Bristol Ave., this three-level residence boasts 13,000-plus square feet of open living space. Among the highlights is a light and bright professional chef’s kitchen with a circular, glassed-in breakfast nook that leads into a large-scale formal dining area sporting a fireplace, as well as a formal living room and family room with a bar.

The home also features five bedrooms—including a spacious master suite outfitted with his-and-her walk-in closets, dual master baths and a private balcony—while an elevator leads to a basement level that serves as an entertainer’s paradise with a plush media room flanked by a glass-enclosed wine cellar and tasting area.

Outdoors, the 27,616-square-foot lot is showcased by an expansive grassy lawn, alluring patio, pool and spa, pool house cabana, built-in barbecue, and open-air dining area perfect for entertaining. Rounding out this home’s undeniable pull? A four-car garage ideal for a car enthusiast.

Proving its viability as one of Downtown L.A.’s top neighborhoods, Koreatown is set to welcome yet another mixed-use development to meet the ever-increasing demand for more homes and retail options in one of the city’s most highly desirable locales. Enter a yet-to-be-named project at 2900 Wilshire Blvd., a $300 million luxury high-rise tower designed by Large Architecture that’s slated for completion in early 2021.

Situated at 2900 Wilshire Blvd.—on a 2.9-acre site near the recently completed 3033 Wilshire apartment tower and the historic Bullock’s Wilshire building, which now houses Southwestern Law School—the 25-story development will offer more than 15,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor. Living options, meanwhile, will include 644 studios to three-bedroom, two-story penthouses, with rental prices ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 per month. A distinct floor shape will avoid casting shade on the two parks that flank the project, while providing unobstructed views of Downtown L.A. and the Hollywood Hills.

Secret Sanctuary

A secluded haven where Steve McQueen lived after filming The Getaway is now listed for $2.425 million, replete with a half-plus acre of land offering sweeping canyon and valley views. Expect 2,000-plus square feet of coastal-style living space on two levels showcased by four bedrooms, including a downstairs retreat that opens via with French doors to an outdoor dining area with a hillside waterfall, as well as a master suite with vaulted ceilings, custom built-ins, dual walk-in closets, a window seat, and fireplace.

An updated kitchen features Wolf and Miele appliances, while the backyard holds a heated pool. “From the 180-degree views to the designer finishes to the magical waterfall and meditation area, this meticulously reimagined hideaway offers remarkable seclusion and privacy,” says listing agent Jennifer Shor of Compass. “It has the kind of vibe you can’t quite conceptualize until you walk through the door, and a sense of serenity just envelopes you.

Farmhouse Flair

A brand-new, contemporary farmhouse-style residence has hit the market for $7.675 million, complete with high-end finishes, full home automation, and seamless indoor-outdoor experience. Set at 1062 Maroney Lane—on a quiet cul-de-sac, just moments from Palisades Village—the six-bedroom dwelling features more than 7,000 square feet of chic, open living space on two levels boasting natural oak plank flooring with chevron details throughout.

Among the highlights: a professional chef’s kitchen with a spacious island, top-tier fixtures and appliances, and butler’s pantry; large master retreat sporting a fireplace, plus his-and-her baths and walk-in closets; temperature-controlled wine storage for 250 bottles; plush movie theater; and game room with full bar.

“This strikingly, well-balanced home is as gracious as it is good-looking,” says listing agent Anthony Marguleas of Amalfi Estates. “Surrounded by beautiful majestic and mature trees, your clients will love the resort feel with a gorgeous pool and adjacent cabana.”

“I had a client who I sold a lot to years ago,” recounts Charlie Raine. “He built a beautiful house on the property.” When the client was ready to sell that beautiful house, he called Charlie. The listing wasn’t automatically his, though—there were three other real estate teams in the mix, all gunning for it. That’s when Charlie called Bill Ruth.

“Bill and I went to high school together,” says Charlie. Both of the agents, natives of Palos Verdes, were born into the business: Charlie’s father was a commercial broker and his mother a residential agent; Bill’s father was a commercial developer and his mother, an agent at their namesake Ruth Realty.

CAREER TRACK

Bill Ruth and Charlie Raine have each been in the business for nearly 30 years; Carissa Wright entered real estate four years ago after working in banking and nonprofit management

COMMUNITY MINDED

Bill Ruth is a board member and recent past president of the Palos Verdes Association of Realtors; Charlie Raine has recently served as a board member of the Peninsula Education Foundation.

COOPERATION

Ruth, Raine, and Wright collectively have approximately 65 years of real estate experience

Both knew Palos Verdes down to its weather patterns and individual streets, and real estate like the back of their hands. “But we had to fight for it,” says Charlie of what was his first real estate win with Bill. “It was a big, big sale.” So big, the sale had the distinction of being the highest for over a decade in pricey Palos Verdes. The two paired up again on listings from time to time over the next couple of years and, in 2009, made Ruth & Raine official.

The two have enjoyed a fruitful partnership as hometown agents, and a couple of years ago, another agent joined the mix. Real estate agent Carissa Wright and her husband were looking for a house in Palos Verdes and connected with Charlie and Bill. Impressed by her real estate savvy, they asked her to join Ruth & Raine.

“We have three of the top agents in our group, from three of the top brokerages,” Bill points out. He and Charlie are with Keller Williams and ReMax Estate Properties respectively, and Carissa is with Beach City Brokers. “And—you’re paying the same price. There’s nowhere else you can get the same exposure for a listing.”

Adding to this is the trio’s expanded geographic reach across Palos Verdes and the Beach Cities. “Carissa is in Redondo Beach and Charlie and I are up on the Hill,” explains Bill. Working together means greater exposure for their listings, and the ability to service clients throughout the close-cousin markets. (A specialty of Carissa’s, for instance, is relocating Beach Cities clients who wish to move to Palos Verdes.)

Another boon to the merger is chemistry. “There’s nothing written down,” says Bill about their partnership. “Everything’s on a handshake.” This speaks to their trust and easy camaraderie, evidenced by the good-natured joking and laughter throughout our interview. “My husband calls them my work husbands,” Carissa says with a chuckle. “We’re always texting each other, the three of us. Constantly.”

Whether choosing real estate after growing up in the business, like Bill and Charlie, or selecting it independently, like Carissa, success in the industry seems to require embracing it as a lifestyle, not just a job. At Ruth & Raine the firm, this approach is multiplied by three.

“One of us is always available to our clients,” Bill comments. “That’s the most unique part about us—you talk to a principal at all times. You’re never talking to someone who is not the rainmaker.”

The Beach Cities real estate community came together to celebrate and honor Jack Gillespie and Arnold Goldstein with “Lifetime Achievement Awards in Beach Cities Real Estate” on January 13th at the Shade Hotel in Redondo Beach in recognition of their positive influence on the careers and lives of so many. Their passion and foresight provided a platform and roadmap for many others to follow and succeed.

Arnold Goldstein established Shorewood Realtors in 1969, bringing aboard Larry Wolf as a business partner in 1979. Shorewood grew to be the largest independent brokerage in the South Bay, reaching 450 agents and $2 billion in sales at its peak in 2006.

“The evening brought my wildest dreams to reality seeing so many of our people that I have not seen for a long time,” Goldstein said. “I wish my partner Larry Wolf was there so we could share the evening together.”

Jack Gillespie, along with partners Jim VanZanten and Annette Graw formed South Bay Brokers in 1985. Gillespie and VanZanten ran an extremely successful company for 30 years. “To receive recognition from your peers is the ultimate honor,” Gillespie said. “In a competitive business it is great to know you are respected by your competitors.”

Gillespie and Goldstein spawned hundreds of real estate careers over the years, and were affectionately referred to as “founding fathers,” according to Master of Ceremonies Chris Plank.

Colleagues shared funny and heartwarming stories. A recurrent theme expressed by many speakers was the sense of family felt within both companies, a remarkable culture given the competitive nature of the business.

Although South Bay Brokers was sold in 2015 and Shorewood was sold in 2014, the legacies created by Gillespie and Goldstein live on today. In a packed room filled with the top agents from virtually every brokerage in the area, camaraderie was the tone of the evening as both men received standing ovations from the crowd and were thanked for their mentorship, guidance, leadership and friendship.

“It’s a night I’ll never forget,” Goldstein said. Arnold reflected after the event. “We had love and that love was reignited again at the award ceremony. It was a reminder of how much I care about them and miss seeing them daily. They were so much a part of my world. I miss them all over again.”

A new modern coastal residence is soon to be unveiled in the beach community of El Segundo. Designed and built by HH Design and Kole Strebel of 4 Eco Living—known for its expertise in green home remodeling and construction—the custom creation aims to reduce its environmental footprint by incorporating sustainable amenities such as solar power, energy-efficient appliances, and an electric car-charging station, along with a unique roofline and plentiful skylights to allow for an abundance of natural light.

“When we started this project, we knew it would be spectacular,” says Amie Schneider, who is co-listing the property with Alex Abad, both of Palm Realty Boutique, for $2.55 million.

“Kole and his team not only have a high-end eye for design and functionality but more so eco-friendly. Kole and his team build homes that organically blend modern lines with traditional farmhouse inspirations.”

Situated at 719 Maryland St.—on one of the most coveted streets in El Segundo, within walking distance to award-winning schools, parks, shopping, restaurants and beaches—the two-level abode will feature 3,000 square feet of Anne Collard-designed living space highlighted by wide plank hardwood flooring throughout, custom tile in the baths and high-end appliances.

Among the highlights: five bedrooms (including a luxe master suite with dual walk-in closets and a spa-like bath featuring Kohler and Brizo fixtures, as well as a stunning Vieux Quarter crystal chandelier), along with a professional chef’s kitchen boasting KitchenAid, Thermador, Viking and Bosch appliances.

Topping it all off? The property’s 3,300-square-foot grounds, which will be outfitted with a built-in barbecue, beverage center, and mounted gas heaters.

“This house is not cookie-cutter; it’s completely custom,” says Schneider. “There is no other home in town like it. Not to mention the views from the second-floor reading nook and the incredible sunsets from the balcony, which makes the location of this home even more special. Let’s just say the new owners of this house will be very happy to live here!”

Life Before DIGS

I started my career in media in 1992 as an account executive at BAM magazine.BAM was a free bi-weekly music magazine founded in 1976 by Dennis Erokan in San Francisco and covered musicians, the music scene and its culture. As a musician myself, this was an exciting time for me as I was able to work on something that I was truly passionate about.

The media landscape was much different back then, as the internet was in its infancy and marketers still relied on and leveraged traditional media channels like (print, TV, radio.)

BAM was a case study in the niche publishing model and was able to capture the attention of an audience around a topic that they were passionate about, (music) and thus created a lot of value for both consumers and advertisers along the way.

My time at BAM was invaluable – I was immersed into the world of guerilla marketing and I learned how to create ad campaigns from scratch for local music retailers that ultimately would have to deliver results.And best of all, I was part of a community who had shared interests, passions, and dreams.

Start The Press

In 1995 my media career took a 180˙ turn when I joined a commercial printing company, (where DIGS magazine prints today!)With aspirations to become a Publisher at some point in my future, this was a logicalprogression as I became an expert in the printing process, which is typically the highest cost center for a magazine business.

The best part, my clients were publishers of prestigious magazines and newspapers – I was in good company, to say the least.

FUN FACT: The Daily Breeze, Beach Reporter & Easy Reader were all personal clients of mine back in the day and I helped the Breeze outsource the printing of the daily paper to our company to print alongside the National edition of the
New York Times.

The Digital Revolution

I spent the next 14 years in commercial printing, working my way up from sales to eventually becoming the President & CEO of a $250 million company.It was during this period of time that I was fortunate to be immersed in the media world, having a “front row seat” to the transformative and disruptive change that the internet would bring.I got to see firsthand, how the largest media companies of the day were doing to adapt (or not) with the changing landscape – it was a crazy time, to say the least, and highly educational.

“You Must Be Crazy!”

In 2008, I decided to leave the printing industry, do some soul searching and explore the possibilities of “reinventing myself.”

With a keen understanding of the perilous future of print in the new digital age, I decided to go against the grain and do something that made little sense to any rational person at the time – start a magazine!My friends, peers, and family all thought I had lost my mind, but my ignorance was truly bliss.

Finding My Place

It was 2010, the economy was bad, and the real estate industry was worse.I started to imagine what it would be like to be a local real estate agent during this time – how the old rules were changing and how hard it was going to be sustain and grow their business.

It didn’t take long before I was convicted to the mission – I wanted to try and solve this problem, or at least add some value along the way.

But not from some high-minded “top-down” media owner or publishers’ perspective, rather from a “bottoms up” guerilla marketing perspective.It was about challenging the status quo – align with the disruption in the market and harness it to elevate across the board.

With a marketing approach and mindset, it was all about helping agents and local real estate consumers “find your place” in the community. And with that tag line, DIGS was started in the summer of 2010.

DIGS is Born

Going to market with a marketing company mindset meant I could break all the rules in publishing.Everything about DIGS, from the size of the magazine to the frequency, was engineered to maximize marketing results for our agent partners.

In the summer of 2010, I began to reach out to as many top agents and brokers as I could and tried to set up a meeting.The local real estate community was still reeling from the effects of the great recession, which was fortuitous for both
of us as it allowed for an open dialog and open-mindedness.

As I look back and reflect on these first meetings, I’m reminded how grateful I am to those first few agents that took a leap
into the void and decided to take a chance on a total unknown. We would have never existed without them!

Fast forward a few months – the first DIGS magazine was published on October 8, 2010 – 28 pages of hope, sweat, and inspiration.

In my very first Publisher’s Muse, I wrote:

‘Our mission is to build the market-leading communications platform for the South Bay community “real estate experience” – a 360˙ real estate marketplace that connects the local real estate consumer to real estate professionals who live and work in the community.’

Reality Bites

With no investors and a substantial personal investment to get this going, the money clock was ticking fast.

I’ll never forget this moment – it was a cold and cloudy mid-December day, DIGS had just released its 5th publication and I went to the bank to get a current account balance.

It was $354.00.

Okay, maybe this is going to be harder than I thought.

It might have been a happy coincidence, but it was at this time I first heard the phrase, “fake it till you make it,” and the timing was poetic.

Patience. Perseverance. Progress.

The rest, as they say, is history.

I could probably write a novel on my personal journey on how DIGS came to be and the process of building a brand from the ground up.

The reward and success is in the journey – the ups and downs and the twists and turns along the way.

The one thing that has stuck with me since the early days is how welcoming and encouraging the brokers and agents were to me day one, inviting me to the office meetings and introducing me to other agents.

The South Bay real estate community is special and unique.

I’m still in awe and humbled that this community has allowed us to exist for what will be nine years this October, and the fact that this edition marks the 200th publication is truly remarkable.(Did you know…our Westside DIGS magazine celebrates our 4-year anniversary this month? No wonder my hair has turned grey!)

Today, DIGS distributes over 100,000 magazines per month in the most affluent communities in the South Bay and Westside of Los Angeles.Each combined edition has $1 billion worth of properties that are advertised for sale – an indispensable resource and marketplace for agents and consumers to connect.

It’s A Privilege And Honor To Serve You

A sincere thank you.

To the local community, for embracing us and allowing us to lead the real estate conversation.

No expense was spared in the design of this warm contemporary home nestled in the tree-lined streets of Santa Monica. Think a true piece of art bathed in comfort and luxury, complete with high-end details including floor-to-ceiling Movi doors; Italian-made bathroom cabinetry by Rexa Design and Novello Bagno; a chef-caliber kitchen boasting the highest-tier of Blum hardware, as well as and Miele and Zephyr appliances; and engineered European white oak flooring throughout. Not to mention a swoon-worthy yard showcasing a sparkling pool and spa.

“In town, there are so many similar builds that are all interchangeable, but there isn’t anything like this on the market,” says Cindy Ambuehl of The Agency, who is listing the property for $8.25 million. “It is current to the demands and desires of today’s buyers, designed to appeal to both family and entertaining, and the location…oh, the location!”

Found at 526 23rd St.—North of Montana Avenue, just minutes from the Brentwood Country Mart, and a bevy of shops and restaurants—the six-bedroom abode was custom built this year by GAIA Construction, along with Desai Architects and Italian interior designer DI Group.

Expect almost 7,000 square feet of open living space on three levels featuring sophisticated design elements such as soaring ceilings, plentiful natural light, an elevator, and a showpiece of a striking floating wood-and-glass staircase.

Among the highlights: the previously mentioned kitchen boasting a center island with waterfall edges, Binova cabinetry from Italy and a porcelain backsplash stretching from the countertops to the ceiling, along with a spacious master retreat showcasing an expansive closet and luxe bath.

Adding to the home’s glam factor is a lower-level entertainment area featuring a theater, wine cellar, wet bar and game room, as well as delightful grounds sporting an outdoor dining area with barbecue, and a pool house with bar, bath and outdoor shower. Finally is a Control4 smart home automation, top-of-the-line security and camera system, and solar energy setup.

This Santa Barbara-style home custom built for professional soccer player Landon Donovan in 2007 got an extra boost in acreage when the athlete purchased the lot next door to create a spot where he could enhance his training and recovery.

Today, the one-of-a-kind setup includes a remodeled masterpiece consisting of a main house connected via a lushly landscaped tropical oasis with a saltwater lagoon pool and cascading waterfall to an additional dwelling replete with a sauna, 20-seat theater, bar, guest room with bath, and even a gym with roll-up garage doors.

“It’s rare to find a home that offers a complete oasis of mind, body, and spirit while maintaining the convenience of city living,” says Giovanni Altamura of Altamura Real Estate, the listing agent for this exclusive compound. “3305 Pine Avenue is that—offering not one, but two dwellings that work together in harmony with amenities you’d find at a world-class resort.”

Found in the Tree Section of Manhattan Beach—on a 9,282-square-foot double lot just minutes from white sandy beaches, shopping, award-winning schools and LAX—the main house (at 3305 Pine Ave.) offers 3,300 square feet of living space on two levels with high-end details throughout including reclaimed barn wood flooring, coffered and groin vaulted ceilings, French terra-cotta tile, custom wrought iron and handmade reclaimed wood doors.

Among the highlights: a striking two-story foyer; four bedrooms (including a spacious master retreat with a fireplace, private balcony and spa-like bath with dual vanities and a soaking tub); formal dining room; and family room that adjoins a gourmet kitchen outfitted with coastal-chic cabinetry, an expansive center island ideal for dining and entertaining, Viking and Sub-Zero appliances, and a butler’s pantry with wet bar.

“The ‘wow’ factor would be the double lot and orientation of the property that is unquestionably hard, to almost impossible, to find these days,” says Altamura.

“A main house with an open floor plan, leading to private outdoor space, and a walk to the guest house with pool, sauna, cold plunge, gym, bar, theater, and a guest room just does not exist. Most would have to acquire two lots and custom build. This would take years to complete, where this house has it all and is in ready-to-move-in condition!”